Black throughout and heavy in body--thick, oily, shiny. Not a lot of visible carbonation, though some. Leaves the glass oily and spotted.

Nice aroma, and probably the most successful part of this beer. Lots of sharp, acidic, roasted coffee notes--reminds me of the Kopi character in Alesmith and Jackie O's Kopi stouts. Some chocolate and whiskey notes as well, but the coffee definitely leads.

The flavor doesn't succeed like the aroma. The coffee is a sharp, overly acidic punch, drowning out the other flavors. This simply tastes like bad, sharp, acidic drip coffee after it's left to cool completely--harsh, bitter, acidic, and overpowering. There's not a lot of barrel here though, regardless. Some whiskey flavors, but not a substantial amount. Some roast and chocolate character as well, but the strong, overly acidic coffee note certainly dominates.

This is where the beer is at its weakest, in my opinion. Very harsh, aggressive, attacking mouthfeel at first. The finish is a little smoother, but the bubbles seem to be too aggressive. I'm not sure if it's actually the body of the beer or simply the acidic coffee overpowering this as well.

I would not seek this one out again, though it does smell nice. (1,283 characters)